Widescreen format, picture quality, ease of use, HDTV ready

price

After viewing a Toshiba TW40X81, I had to have one. The longer I waited for the Toshiba, the more I shopped around and was able to justify the extra money for the Mitsubishi. Picture quality is excellent especially when hooked up to my Toshiba SD5109 DVD player. The picture is much more correct than the Toshiba. And best of all I could get right away (instant gratification). The matching stand does place the set at the correct height for best viewing results.

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Toshiba TW40X81

Cost, Picture, Remote.

Part broke.

I have been very happy with the picture, the remote is easy to use and set up. The Actual speakers on the TV are not that good, but it sounds great, set up with your stereo.After having the set for 11 months, while in the middle of a movie, the convergence went out of alignment. The system to adjust the convergence did not work. We had to have a technician come over to fix the convergence. A part went out and it will take two weeks to get a replacement part. Which seems like a long time. I am in the first day of waiting.

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none

Brightest picture I have seen. Easy to program

bulk. at 28" deep

I have found that this size and quality places Mitsu above the rest. Add the price of $2400-2600 to all this and you have a great HDTV.

Incredible HDTV and DVD picture quality

Not enough modes for viewing NTSC sources, horrible NTSC performance, not to shallow depth, absolutely no viewing angle

I found this set to be great with both HDTV broadcasts and watching DVD movies. The picture is clear and very detailed. The fault of this television however is its limited viewing angle, you have to sit at the center of the TV and at a certain height or else the picture is washed out. I invited my friends over and we ended up sitting on top of each others laps because the angle view is soooooooo
narrow. Come on Mitsubishi what is up with this kindergarden
effort on your part please redeem yourselves, this is unacceptable performance. Another problem is the viewing modes, you only get 3 and the Zoom feature that fills up the screen makes people on screen gain a tremendous amount of weight, again an unacceptable performance issue. Lastly the biggest mistake Mitsubishi was to neglect NTSC performance, your DPM2 sucks, open up a Pioneer Elite and steal their line doubler cause yours needs to go to generation x10. Mitsubishi should have realized that NTSC will be around for a couple more years and put more effort in optimizing it. I feel this is a rushed product because it has so many trouble spots. I hope Mitsubishi reclaims its honor by making better TV's in the future. If you ONLY watch HDTV which is quite scarce right now or watch DVD movies this is a average set.

Overall a dissapointing effort from the Big Screen Company.

Similar Products Used:

Sony,Pioneer, and Hitachi rear projectors

16:9 Screen Price Screen Size Number Inputs

Need more control over aspect ratios fixed ratio on progressive outputs

I've only had my set for about 1 week. So far I've been very happy. I have not suffered any of the problems mentioned in some of the reviews.

I'm currently using a Toshiba SD-2108 with component output. Even though it is not progressive, I'm amazed at the clarity of the image. DVD's on this TV look fantastic.(It would have been nice if more control would have been provided for aspect-ratio control.)

I am going to wait for the mitsubishi Direct TV/HDTV box, so currently I only have access to our local cable feed. Some channels are ok but most are really bad. I think the cable channels actually look worse now than they did on my old TV (a crappy 20" Emerson)

Currently there are 4 stations broadcasting HDTV in the Dallas area. When I bought my set I was able to compare it side by side with RPTV models from Pioneer. On the taped loops that WFAA runs the picture was simply jaw dropping. On HDTV material I really didn't have a preference for any of the sets. They were all amazing. On non-hdtv material I felt the Pioneer sets had a better line-doubler.

I wanted a true HD-ready set with a 16:9 screen, at least 45" and under $3500 so I bought the Mitsubishi. To say I'm happy is a understatement.

Having seen what this TV can do with a true HDTV signal it is very hard not to run out and by the RCA DTC-100.

I'm not giving this projector 5 stars overall because I don't think any projector that uses 7" CRT'S deserves the highest rating. However in terms of value I think it is a outstanding value

If you are planning on watching NTSC on this TV for a couple of years I would advise you to go another route. The line doubler really could be better and the fixed aspect-ratio on progressive signals prevents you from using a doubler like DVDO'S iScan. However if you are planning on buying a HDTV tuner in the near future or watch anamorphic DVDS I really can't recommend this TV highly enough.

rod

Ok, for all of you experiencing the "ghost image" or "vertical lines" on the sides of the screen this is for you! I had this problem, called out the service guys and they installed a FERRITE BEAD otherwise known as a type of filtering device and redressed some of the wires and POOF the image is gone. It appears that some of the ferrite beads were not installed or thought to not be needed. So down't sweat it folks, in about 20 minutes it all disappears. So call up the service team and they'll be over in no time! Still have questions, feel free to email me at efarstad@integrityol.com

Love the set and can't keep the friends and family away!!!

Picture Quality (When calibrated) and RGBHV inputs

screen mode limitations (only 3)

First off I would like to say I purchased the set because it is the only one I could find that my wife approved of.
I felt I could get around the severe limitations that this set has, and I will discuss how below.

Point#1. DVD's will have letterbox even on a 16:9 set.

Answer: 16:9 (widescreen/HDTV) = 1.78:1
Standard Movie Formats: 1.33:1, 1.66:1, 1.85:1, 2.35:1
Yes I am well aware of this. The Mitsu sets when displaying anamorphic materials do a FINE job. I was complaining about NON-anamorphic, which everyone seemed to overlook. The set only has ZOOM mode for non-anamorphic materials, which basically magnifies the pixels to fill the entire screen. A. this means some picture is cut off the sides, and B. the Scaler sucks so ZOOMed titles look crappy.
I was not slamming this due to letterboxing, even though the set TRULY DOES IT INCORRECTLY.

Point#2. Your DVD player was not set to 16:9

Answer: While I was concerned that I may have overlooked this, I did not. All players I tried were in 16:9 mode.

Point#3. Mitsubishi's line doubler is lame and you should use an external doubler like the DVDO Iscan ($500-$700).

Answer: Yes, I agree that the Mitsu doubler is lame, but I have put off buying an external doubler due to cost and necessity. I also put off an HD decoder though the RCA DTC-100 is highly recommended for this set due to it's low cost ($650 at Best Buy). I am planning to use this set primarily for DVD for the first year, so making it work correctly and look as good as possible is my primary concern.

So here is what I have into the set and what I plan to put into the set in the future. Keep in mind that the reason MOST people buy this set is that the initial price is low.

Built my own stand for around $100. The mitsu stand holds only 2 components and didn't match my decor. My stand holds 4 components including a 200 disc CD changer and a Desktop style PC along with my VCR and receiver. Plus it is cherry stained pine to match my livingroom set.

Built a home theater PC to run progressive DVD with customizable aspect ratios since the TV cannot do so itself, not even with a progressive scan Mitsu DVD player!
PIII 500mhz, DVD, Matrox G400, SB Live with S/PDIF, Wireless KB, all with black exteriors so it doesn't stick out like a standard PC would (beige). Cost about $1000.
For instructions on how to set this up see:
http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000910.html

The correct Software to set that up as per above URL:
WinDVD $30 at www.intervideoinc.com, Powerstrip $30 at www.entechtaiwan.com, YXY $FREE at www.erols.com/jimferguson/yxy.htm

Cables to connect the PC to the Mitsu set:
RGB->BNC $40 at Best Buy, 5X BNC->RCA $20 at Radio Shack

Wow look how much I now have into this set (about $4800). But The picture quality is 10 times better than via any S-video or component DVD player, and it does the correct aspect ratios that even a Prog scan DVD player cannot do. The Mitsubishi automatically FORCES all RGBHV progressive inputs to "stretched" aka "wide" mode, and does NOT allow you to switch to "standard" 4:3 or "zoom" mode. This is perfect for HDTV, and Anamorphic disks (this set rocks the anamorphic world) BUT it vertically squashes non-anamorphic materials completely destroying their aspect ratio, and this is not adjustable, and was unacceptable to me.

So once again let me run down the pro's and cons of this set

PRO: You can run RGBHV progressive scanned material into it.
It has an outstanding picture quality (as it should).
It is reasonably priced. It has a rather small footprint.
Does an outstanding job from any input on anamorphic materials. The set automatically moves the 4:3 image around so that the grey vertical letterbox is less likely to burn in the tubes. It has TONS of inputs.

CON: Progressive scan "stretches" all inputs, and this is not adjustable. The scaler used is lame, so "Zoom" mode suffers horrible pixelation. The TV zooms to fit the entire screen when in this mode, meaning non-anamorphic titles are also cropped slightly on the sides. You can not use the internal speakers as your Center Channel.
Playing Non-anamorphic DVD's in general.

And some points that may or may not be relevant to all of Mitsubishi's current line (805, 905 series)

There is a problem called "Ringing" which requires the service tech to come install ferrite beads on the power lines. What you see is Vertical (sometimes called jail) bars on the left and right sides of the screen. On my set there is an additional "wavy line" syndrome that I believe to be a part of this same problem. I have not had it fixed yet. It appears at low contrast/brightness and looks like video interferance, a bunch of wavy lines moving about the screen. It is not external as it happenes on any input and with NO inputs at all. I also noticed it on the Demo unit in the showroom.

So once the reason for my rating. I will add one more star for value since it is still cheaper than the Pioneer with all of my addons and still takes less floorspace. I will give it one more star for overall since with the proper sources this set can look astounding. I cannot wait to see HD broadcasts and HD Sattelite feeds in the future as they looked great at the showroom. Here is what you can expect to spend on this set for reference.

$3300 Set with 3 or more years extended warranty
$ 500 A decent stand (possibly even more)
$ 600 DVDO Iscan external line doubler
$ 650 RCA DTC-100 HDTV decoder
$ 200 RCA Elliptical HD Satellite Dish (HD HBO!)
$1000 Computer capable of progressive DVD out
$ 100 cables and software to use above PC
------------
$6350 Total, assuming you already have the audio portions.

You can skip the PC by buying the external doubler or a progressive scan DVD player Though I am positive the TV will will stretch the non-anamoric titles out of aspect on a Prog DVD, I am not sure if the Iscan will do the same.

This is not a bad set, but it certainly does not deserve 5 stars by any stretch of the imagination. It has severe limitations that are costly to work around. If you have the pockets to add on all the external equipment then you are probably not looking at this set anyway unless exclusively for it's size. If non-anamorphic DVD and cable television are your 2 least viewed items and HDTV, Digital Satellite and anamorphic DVD are your most viewed then you can seriously add another star to my rating. I am sure that comparitive sets have limitations and bugs too, after all this is only 2nd generation HD. But to say something is perfect, as many who have written about this set have, without pointing out its flaws would not make for a very good review. And I think everyone should know what they are NOT getting with this set before they take it home.
You are not getting a good line doubler/scaler and as a result of such you are not getting enough of the proper screen modes (3 analog and 1 progressive is NOT ENOUGH)
hopefully Mitsubishi takes this into consideration next year. My advice is play with it for 8 hours at the showroom before you commit. I did and then only with a guaranteed 30 days to return it for full refund to be sure I could make the PC do what I wanted with it.

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This is a followup to my previous post to respond to all the people who panned me for ripping this set.

Picture Quality in the 46" size (with 480p or other anamorphic digital sources), Price, overall size.

Picture quality with non-digital/non-anamorphic sources, there may also be a quality/reliability problems with these sets.

I feel that the Mitsubishi set is a unique product at its combination of size, price and picture quality. In fact this is the source of my problem. If the Toshiba set was made in the 46" size I would not hesitate and purchase the Toshiba. However, at 40" the Toshiba does not offer the type of visual impact that the Mitsubishi set does. This is why I probably will stay with Mitsubishi despite my reservations.
First of all, as most of previous reviewers, I am not happy with the compromises that have to made in viewnig any non-anamorphic source material (more on that below).

MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH THIS MITSUBISHI SET ARE THE FOLLOWING:

1. Just as the previous reviewer "Dave", I have also observed the faint, ghost-like vertical lines on both edges of the screen. On my set the vertical line on the right side of the screen is more visible. I can always see it with gray background utilized by my Toshiba DVD player (SD5109) and with standard mode (vertical grey areas on the sides of the 4:3 material). Because I know it is there, I am also able to see this "ghost-like" vertical line(s) during 16:9 viewing (especially, when the image is uniform and grey or dark).
IF ANYONE (DAVE) KNOWS HOW TO GET RID OF IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

2. Just as the previous reviewer (Dave), I also notices the "curvy", moving patterns of small lines moving across the screen. I was not able to determine under what conditions they are most visible, but I do see them often.
JUST AS WITH THE ITEM ABOVE, IF ANYONE KNOWS MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE (AND ESPECIALLY HOW TO ELIMINATE IT), PLEASE WRITE. I have an appointment with a service technician to attempt to resolve these problems, however, I am a little sceptical about their ability to do that.

3. THERE MIGHT ALSO BE A QUALITY PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THESE MITSUBISHI SETS!!! In fact, I am wondering if the above described "artifacts" are some evidence of poor design/manufacturing process. I spoke briefly with one of the ISF technicians in my area and he was advising me not to buy any Mitsubishi projection sets. He mentioned that there may be a class action suit against Mitsubishi, resulting from poor quality/relibility. (So far I have acted against his recommendation because there is no other 46" set, which is ideal for me, and because I wanted to see the picture quality for myself.

4. Lastly, there is the 16:9 vs 4:3 viewnig problem. It is not as significant for me as the above because it is associated with every 16:9 display and because the extent of it depends on my actions i.e. how much and of which format will I watch. I do know that in viewnig 4:3 material on any 16:9 display I cannot accept the deformed geometry associated with the "expand" function nor can I accept the loss of picture quality along with the loss of information that ocurrs with the "zoom" function. Thus, I would only use the "standard" mode to view 4:3 material. I am aware of the "burn-in" potential and I do not like the grey bars on the sides, but I will need to "work around" these issues. By the way, most of the described shortcommings are true for the most part with all 16:9 televisions. This is the price we must pay for being on the edge of technology. All digital transformations of 4:3 material will result in some compromise when viewnig this information on the 16:9 display.

Sorry for the long review. I just wanted for all of you potential buyers of the problems associated with the WT46805. I also would like to hear from anyone that knows how to eliminate the problems described above in 1) and 2).
Your input would be much appreciated.
My e-mail is : szawlod@baxter.com
THANK YOU!!!

PS. I am rating this set in view of the problems I am experiencing and the very good picture quality when 480p signal is being fed to it.

I also would like to know if connecting the DVD via the component inputs means that the HDTV decoder can now be connected via RGB only?

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Currently comparing to Toshiba 40X81.

Outstanding picture quality, compact size, value.

As with all widescreens, not nearly as great for 4:3 material.

I have had the 46805 for a few weeks, so I figure I'd put a review to let you all know how it has performed. Unfortunately, I don't yet have an HD decoder, so my experience has been with DVD and cable.

First off, the set came through with all the factory settings, which were terrible. After using the Video Essentials DVD to calibrate the TV, things looked markedly better. As a sidenote, you need to calibrate to each input, as they are all discreet. This is a nice feature, as different sources seemed to require slightly different settings to produce the best results. I used the VE calibration as a baseline for all the other inputs, then used the naked eye to make adjustments until I felt I acheived the best picture.

My first experience was with DVD, as I knew this would be a great test for the set. I threw in 'A Bug's Life' and was simply AMAZED. The picture was stunning, with an almost 3D effect. Very filmlike in nature. The colors seemed to be very accurate, and while they were bright and vivid, they didn't seem overly saturated. To be honest, I wasn't fully expecting the quality of picture that I experienced with the DVD. I was very impressed.

Now, there were a few minor problems that I witnessed. First of all, the set did show the "ringing" problem which has been talked about with this set. Basically, if the screen shows a scene on the darker side of the light spectrum, then you can see subtle, yet well defined variations in brightness along the left-side of the screen running vertically. I believe others have experienced this on the right-side as well, although I haven't heard of it being apparent on both sides. I was a bit surprised to see this, since the general consensus on the internet forums was that the problem shouldn't be apparent on newer production runs (although I have no idea when my set was actually produced).

In addition to the "ringing", there was also a bit of shimmer evident. This seemed only to happen on concentrated spots of red. It is possible that I had the color settings set a bit on the high side, which may have caused this? I will have to try turning the color setting down slightly (tone down the red stripe on the VE test pattern)to see if this reduces or eliminates the shimmer. I have a feeling it may, although I'll have to rent 'A Bug's Life' again to check, since this DVD produced the most visible shimmer (something to do with the computerized animation perhaps).

The "ringing" is a very minor annoyance, considering the fact that there seems to be a fix. Hopefully, newer sets will not see the issue as often. The "shimmer" is apparently something that can happen on any set, and is so very subtle that it didn't bother me at all. I think it may even dissapear with some tweaking on the color and tint settings. Regardless, I didn't feel it detracted from the viewing experience.

So, in summary, I was very happy and satisfied with the performance on DVD. I should mention that I was using a Toshiba 5109 DVD through the progressive scan output. For those that are skeptical of the progressive scan capibility of the Toshiba, I can tell you that I did see a significant difference in one-after-the-other comparison at the dealer showroom. The sales rep kept switching between regular component output and progressive output, and the progressive scan output clearly provided superior results. The picture just seemed sharper and more detailed with the progressive output.

In addition to 'A Bug's Life', I also watched 'The Matrix', 'The Thin Red Line' and 'Shawshank Redemption'... all in anamorphic versions. All great movies. As a sidenote, 'The Thin Red Line' is a great movie on DVD, and I think it was a much better movie than 'Saving Private Ryan'. The acting from Nick Nolte (who I am not even a big fan of), Shaun Penn and the main character (forget his name) was incredible. Very powerful film.

Now on to viewing cable tv. Cable showed the largest improvement in picture quality after the VE calibration. The picture quality is actually decent, considering the source and the screen size. I would have to think that the line doubler in the 46805 is doing its job fairly well considering the fact that the picture seems fairly sharp on the bigscreen. Just a theory.

Once the calibration was done and I was fairly happy with the quality of the cable picture, it was time to get used to viewing 4:3 material on a widescreen. Make no mistake about it; viewing 4:3 material on a 4:3 set is far superior to viewing it on a 16:9 set. If 90% of your viewing is 4:3 material, I would suggest getting a 4:3 set. I got the widescreen because we don't watch that much regular tv in our large family room. Overall, we are not big tv watchers. This setup was conceived mainly with DVD, and down the road a bit, HDTV in mind. I'll settle for the inferior 4:3 veiwing when I am watching cable.

Even though some widescreen sets have better options than others for viewing 4:3 material, none of them seem that great to me. With the 46805, I will either watch it expanded or zoomed, depending on the material. If the material is such that cutting off the top and bottom isn't a big deal, then I watch it zoomed, so the aspect ratio is maintained. If the material is such that cutting the top and bottom creates viewing challenges, then expand it is. You get used to it, but having objects misproportioned isn't all that pleasing. The set clearly shines on widescreen material, but is just adequate for 4:3.

I don't have any HDTV viewing experience on this set, aside from the material I viewed at the dealer showroom. They were showing a football game in HD on the 55805, which was simply stunning. According to the sales rep, the Mitsubishi's really shine on HD material over some of the other brands they sell, which are more comparable to the Mitsubishi picture on non-HD material. Whether or not this is the case, who knows. However, he seemed awfully convinced after much viewing in the showroom that the Mitsubishi's did the best job with HD.

The 46805 itself is nice because it is very compact. However, I am not crazy about the stand. It certainly fits the set perfectly, and puts it at just the right height. It just seems a bit chintzy to me. I think that a nice purpose built platform of sorts, or a built-in installation would look gorgeous with this set. I really want to remove the contrast screen (Diamond Shield - or whatever you call it), but I don't dare with two cats running around the house (still with claws).

So, am I happy with my purchase? The answer is yes, considering what my goals were. I considered this purchase mainly for DVD and eventually HDTV. I am blown away by the picture quality on DVD, and I feel confident that HD material will look stunning. For those who watch mainly 4:3 material, I would suggest getting a larger 4:3 set for the best of both worlds. With a larger 4:3 set, you'll get an equivalent sized widescreen exprerience, plus a much better viewing experience on 4:3 material.

Now for the curveball. I am returning the set and upgrading to the same set in the 55" version (55805). After viewing the set for a few weeks, it doesn't look quite as imposing as it did in the showroom. The room is rather large (18' x 24', set up with a HT viewing area that is 18' x 18'), and the 55" will be perfect. In fact, there isn't a terribly large price difference between the two if you consider the price of the stand along with the 46". At list price, the 46" and stand come in at $3298. The 55", which doesn't require a stand, is $3999, which makes it a $704 difference between the two. Not too bad for an extra 9" of diagonal screen size considering what you are paying in the first place. The dimensions of the 55" are almost identical to the 46", aside from the width. Depth and height are within an inch of one another. If I was really space-limited, or didn't want the set to take over a small room, the 46" would certainly be more palatable. However, with the space I have, it is almost a no-brainer to move up to the 55".

Hopefully the 55" will come through without the "ringing". The dealer is expecting delivery of the 55" sets by Monday, so I know it is a newer production run. We'll see. Regardless, based on the performance of the 46", I expect to be very happy with the purchase.

I would highly recommend that prospective buyers take a good look at the Mitsubishi xx805 series sets. They provide an excellent picture, relatively compact design, and great value. I also feel good about Mitsubishi's reputation for both quality and longevity in their RPTV line. It is true that the xx805's had some minor bugs (mainly the "ringing" issue), but other owners of other brands also be running into minor issues here and there. The fact that there is a fix makes it less of an issue.

Strangely enough, when I went into the showroom, I was searching for a direct-view set. Not in a million years did I expect to purchase an RPTV. However, it's tough to beat an RPTV for the combination of picture quality, picture size, and price.

If you are still reading and made it all the way through this novel, I'm impressed! ;-)

Thanks,
Mike

Similar Products Used:

None. Replacing a 27" Sony Trinitron.

Perfect size for bedrooms, input options, design. Picture Quality. 64 point convergence setup

Factory Settings are way off, Scanlines are very noticeable specailly from bad video source. 64 point convergence setup. Zoom option makes the TV picture REALLY blurry

This is one of the better HDTV capable TV I've seen. Luckly I was able to compare the Mitsubishi and Toshiba side by side at the store.

Originally I thought the Toshiba was brighter, maybe too bright, it didn't look right. After fiddling around with the Toshiba, I gave up.

However after fiddling around with the remote and setting the Mitsubishi I was able to come to a nice warm picture. (Make sure you turn off Iris). So I decided to buy the Mitsubishi.

Right now I'm waiting on a Monster Power HTS-3500 to arrive, and hopefully this will clear up the ghost and video noise. Because right now, it doesn't look nearly as good as I saw at the show room. (Regardless of the source).

For the Price that I paid for, it is totally AWESOME. $3500 includes stand/MVR-900/TV and extented warranty on Receiver and TV for 5 years. Can't beat that. :)

Anyway right now I'm waiting for the Mitsubishi DirecTV HDTV receiver and as well as the Mitsubishi DD-6000 Progressive Scan DVD player. Hopefully will be able to put up a review soon, also hoping that the clean power will clear up my TV noise

Similar Products Used:

None really, just replacing an older Sony